Should I Hire a Professional or Install Blinds Myself? An Honest Answer

Installing blinds yourself looks easy in a YouTube video. Drill a few holes, clip the blind in, done. But after 38 years of measuring, making and installing blinds and curtains across Johannesburg and Pretoria, we see the other side: the blinds that don’t fit, the curtain rails that block cupboard doors, and the brackets that pull out of the wall. Here’s our honest answer to whether you should hire a professional or install blinds yourself.

The short answer

For standard-size curtains from our online store, a handy homeowner can do the installation themselves. For everything else (made-to-measure blinds, wave curtain tracks, shutters and motorised blinds), we recommend a professional. It’s quicker, it lasts longer, and it usually costs less in the end, because you only pay once.

The most common DIY measuring mistakes

Almost every DIY problem starts with the measurements. These are the mistakes we see most often:

• Swapping the width and the height. It sounds unlikely, but it’s one of the most common mistakes. The blind gets made the width of the height, and the height of the width.
• Measuring in only one spot. Windows are rarely perfectly square. A professional measures the width at the top, middle and bottom, and the height on the left, middle and right.
• Ignoring the space inside the window. Handles, burglar bars and window frames all affect whether a blind fits inside the recess.
• Getting the alignment wrong on doors. Sliding and patio doors need blinds and curtains that line up properly and don’t catch when the door opens.
• Forgetting about obstacles. A common one: the curtain rail is installed too low next to a built-in cupboard, and the cupboard door hits the rail and can’t open.
• Not planning how it opens. Should the curtain open in the middle, stack to one side or open to the other side? Getting this wrong affects how the room looks and works every day.

When the measurements are wrong, made-to-measure blinds usually can’t be fixed. They have to be made again, which means paying twice.

The wall matters more than you think

Not all walls are the same, and this is where many DIY installations fail. When our team arrives, we test the wall first to see whether it’s solid or weak, then choose the right plug and screw for that wall.

• Weak or hollow walls need special plugs, otherwise the blind eventually pulls out of the wall.
• Steel frames need drilling through steel, and sometimes pop rivets.
• Hidden water pipes and electrical wires can be hit if you don’t know where to drill.
• Sometimes you simply have to make a plan on site, and that comes with experience.

We do this every day, with professional equipment and the right fixings for every type of wall.

A professional does more than install

A good professional also helps you choose the right product for each room. Do you need privacy, or do you want to see through? Which colours work with your space? Which product suits a bathroom, a bedroom or a large sliding door? Getting that advice before you buy saves you from expensive mistakes, because it’s your home, and you want the best quality possible.

What a professional installation looks like with Blind Concepts

1. We protect your home. We put down a small blanket or piece of fabric for our tools, so nothing marks your floors.
2. We place everything in the right room first. Every blind and curtain is checked and placed where it belongs.
3. We work as a team. Our installers often start at different points of the house and meet in the middle, so the job is done quickly.
4. We test every wall and choose the right plug and screw for each window.
5. We keep it clean. Our drills have a vacuum attached, so dust doesn’t fall on your floor.
6. We use battery-operated tools, so load-shedding or a power outage doesn’t stop the job.
7. We test everything to make sure every blind and curtain opens, closes and works perfectly.
8. We clean up before we leave. You don’t have to clean after us.

Many clients tell us it feels like: “Wow, what just happened?” That’s the experience we aim for every time.

How long does professional installation take?

Every home is different, but here’s a good guide to how quickly our trained team works:

Someone doing it for the first time can easily spend a whole weekend on the same job, and still not get the result they wanted.

What about the warranty if I install it myself?

If you install our products yourself, the product itself is still covered, for example a fault in the fabric. But damage caused by the installation is not covered. If a blind falls off the wall and breaks because it wasn’t installed properly, that’s not something a supplier can replace for free.

When Blind Concepts measures and installs for you, we take the risk for measurement mistakes, and our fabrics come with a 3-year warranty. We also offer after-sales service, so if something needs attention later, we come back and sort it out.

When DIY is fine, and when to call a professional

If you’d like to try DIY, our online store has standard sizes that fit most homes. Measure twice, and if you’re not sure, give us a call and we’ll help you. Our How to Measure guide is also a good place to start.

“Rather let the professional do it, someone who does it every day. Trying to save money doing it yourself usually doesn’t save you anything.” Kyle Van Dalen, Blind Concepts

The real cost of doing it yourself

We regularly get called in after someone measured wrong or tried to install blinds themselves. By then they’ve paid for the first set, and now they have to pay to have it fixed or made again. Many people lose a lot of money this way. For more on what affects the price, see How Much Does Professional Blinds Installation Cost?

How to choose the right professional

Not every “professional” is the same. Before you hire a blinds or curtain company, check that they:

• Have good Google reviews and ratings from real clients
• Have a long track record: years of building a business and a reputation people trust
• Manufacture and install, with their own experienced team rather than outsourcing
• Measure for you and take responsibility if the measurements are wrong
• Offer a warranty and after-sales service
• Work efficiently and respect your home

Experience plays a very important role. You don’t want just anyone; you want quality products installed by quality people.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install blinds myself?

You can install standard-size curtains from our online store yourself if you are handy. For made-to-measure blinds, wave curtain tracks, shutters and motorised blinds, we recommend professional installation.

What is the most common DIY mistake?

Measuring wrong, especially swapping the width and height, measuring in only one place, or forgetting obstacles like cupboard doors and handles.

How long does professional blind installation take?

About 10 to 15 minutes per blind. A 3-bedroom house usually takes about half a day, and a large house about one day.

Does the warranty still apply if I install it myself?

The product itself is still covered, but damage caused by incorrect installation is not.

Is professional installation included in your price?

Yes. At Blind Concepts, measuring and installation are included in your quote.

Let the professionals do it for you

Blind Concepts is a family-run business with 38 years of experience manufacturing and installing blinds, curtains and shutters. We offer free home consultations across Johannesburg, Pretoria and surrounds. We measure, manufacture and install, and we’re here to add value from start to finish.

📞 +27 83 277 2739 (call or WhatsApp)
✉️ sales@blindconcepts.co.za
📍 41 1st Avenue, Edenvale, Gauteng

👉 Book your free home consultation